Jet propelled model vehicle

ABSTRACT

A model or toy vehicle of the jet propelled type employing a rapidly vaporizing liquid propellant of the chlorofluoromethane type, commonly known as Freon. The vehicle may be of the airplane or rocket type, and includes a barrel for holding a charge of the propellant which is allowed to vaporize and is discharged through a jet at the rear end of the barrel. Means is provided for allowing the escape of air and the bleeding off of vapor during the charging of the barrel with liquid propellant preliminary to the launching of the craft.

United States Patent Stanzel [451 May 23, 1972 [541 JET PROPELLED MODEL VEHICLE 2,841,084 7/1958 Carlisle ..46/74 A x 72 I t i nven or e ):to;8S9t;r6ml, P O Box 28, Schulenburg, y Examnfer l oms G cene Assistant Exammer-D. L. Wernhold [22] Filed: Aug. 7, 1970 Attomey-Charles E. Lightfoot [21] Appl. No.: 62,071 [57] ABSTRACT A model or toy vehicle of the jet propelled type employing a (gl. o1: p y vaporizing liquid propellant of the [58] Field H4. 124/ chlorofluoromethane type, commonly known as Freon. The Searc vehicle may be of the airplane of rocket type, and includes a barrel for holding a charge of the propellant which is allowed [56] References cued to vaporize and is discharged through a jet at the rear end of UNITED STATES PATENTS the barrel. Means is provided for allowing the escape of air and the bleeding ofi of vapor during the charging of the barrel 2,829,491 4/1958 Teague ..46/74 C UX with liquid propellant preliminary to the laumhing f the 3,550,313 12/1970 Pippin ..46/74 C craft 3,046,694 7/1962 Holderer.... ...46/74 A 2,594,627 4/1952 Endicott ..46/74 A 4 Claims, 5 Drawing figures Patented May 23, 197

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/GZ FIG?

Victor Stanzel /N VE N TOR ATTORNEY Patented ay 23, 1972 Victor Stanzel IN VEN TOR In the operation of model or toy vehicles, and particularly aircraft of the jet propelled type, such as rocket vehicles or jet propelled airplanes, it has been proposed heretofore to make use of elastic pressure fluid receptacles, such as balloons, surgical tubing formed of rubber, or the like, Receptacles of this kind are incorporated in the structure of the aircraft in conjunction with jets to be supplied with suitable fluid, such as compressed air with which the receptacles are expanded to provide fluid under pressure to be discharged through the jets to propel the aircraft.

Propulsion equipment of this kind has the disadvantage that the supply of pressure fluid for operation of the jet is limited by the size of the expansible receptacle which can be accommodated by the vehicle. In the case of a balloon-type receptacle, the relatively thin wall of the receptacle makes it impossible to obtain sufficient pressure to adequately operate the jet, while with more thick-walled receptacles, such as surgical tubing and the like, require a higher pressure of fluid for inflation, but the supply of fluid is rapidly exhausted, thus greatly limiting the duration of the propulsive force. Moreover, in the use of an expansible receptacle of the type mentioned, the pressure diminishes rapidly as the fluid flows out of the receptacle so that the efficiency of the propulsion system is rapidly reduced while there is a substantial supply of fluid still to be discharged whose pressure is too low to provide propulsion.

Thus, jet propelled model aircraft using expansible pressure fluid receptacles of the kind mentioned have not proven satisfactory in operation because of the difficulty in maintaining an adequate supply of pressure fluid at a sufficiently high pressure to sustain flight for a substantial period of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, briefly described, comprises a toy or model vehicle having a jet propulsion system which makes use of a rapidly vaporizing liquid propellant of the chlorofluoromethane type, such as that commonly known as Freon, which may be supplied in liquid form under pressure at ordinary temperatures in a pressurized vessel for dispensing as a liquid, but which rapidly and completely vaporizes when the pressure is released.

The vehicle of the invention has a body or fuselage of hollow plastic construction in which a relatively non-expansible pressure fluid receptacle is carried, which is provided with a jet through which the pressure fluid is discharged to propel the vehicle.

The invention includes means for the escape of air from the receptacle and the bleeding off of vapor during the charging of the receptacle with the liquid propellant whereby resistance to the inflow of the liquid is avoided.

The means for allowing the escape of air and vapor from the front end of the receptacle during inflow of the liquid propellant through the jet at the rear end of the receptacle preferably takes the form of a permeable disk, such as filter paper, covering a small opening or bleeder port in the front end of the receptacle.

The vehicle may take the form of a rocket and may include launching means for the same comprising an upright wire or shaft and suitable means, such as an external, elongated, generally tubular, longitudinally extending, radially projecting element on the body through which the wire may be slidably extended to hold the craft upright in position for launching.

The invention may also take the form of an airplane of conventional design having wings and in which the propellant receptacle extends longitudinally through the fuselage.

The invention has for an important object the provision of a jet propelled model or toy vehicle which may be easily and quickly loaded with a charge of a rapidly vaporizing liquid propellant which is capable of producing pressure fluid at a sufficiently high pressure for operation of the craft and of maintaining such pressure substantially constant as long as any of the propellant remains in liquid form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrating a vehicle of the rocket type showing the manner in which the same is charged with propellant preliminary to launching and the launching apparatus used therewith;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line 3 3 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and partly in cross section, illustrating the invention as applied to an aircraft of the rocket propelled aerodynamic type; and,

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 5 5 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PARTICULAR EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the invention is shown in its application to an aircraft of the rocket or rocket vehicle type having a cylindrical housing, generally designated 10, provided at its rear end with a number of external radially projecting fins l2, and through which a cylindrical barrel 14 is extended.

The barrel 14 is preferably of somewhat smaller diameter than the housing 10 and is held in radially inwardly spaced relation to the wall of the housing at the forward end thereof by a plug or closure element 16 through which the barrel is slidably extended and at the rear end by a tapered, plug-like fitting 18 having a reduced portion 20 formed with an external annular groove 22, about which the barrel is fitted and to which it is secured by a band 24 which presses the barrel into the groove.

The fitting has a tapered, hollow, outer end portion 26 which fits into the rear end of the housing 10 and a cylindrical jet tube 28 extends centrally through the fitting.

At its forward end, the barrel is provided with a plug or bushing 30 having an external annular groove 32 and over which the barrel is extended. The barrel is secured to the plug 30 by a band 34 fitted thereon which presses the barrel into the groove 32. The plug 30 has a central opening 36 therethrough and is formed with an enlarged inner end counterbore 38 forming an inwardly facing shoulder 40 therein. One or more disks 42 of permeable material such as filter paper are positioned on the shoulder 40 and held in place by a perforated plug 44.

A conical cap 46 formed of sponge plastic or the like is fitted over the front end of the barrel.

The housing 10 is also formed with an external, longitudinal, tubular projection or bead 48 by which the vehicle may be slidably mounted on a launching support including a wire or shaft 50 slidably extended through the projection 48 and whose lower end is suitably attached to a base having an upright 52 attached to wing-like, angularly disposed feet 54 to hold the vehicle in an upright position for launching.

In the operation of the rocket vehicle, constructed as described above, the vehicle is positioned on the launching support by slidably inserting the wire 50 through the projection 48 with the launching device disposed in an upright position as seen in FIG. 1. The jet tube 28 of the barrel is then connected at its outer end to a plastic hose 56, leading to a pressure receptacle 58 containing a suitable volatile liquid propellant, such as a propellant of the chlorofluoromethane type, commonly known as Freon, the receptacle being provided with the usual valve, not shown, by which the discharge of liquid therefrom is controlled. By this arrangement, a charge of liquid propellant is introduced into the barrel through the jet tube 28 while air and any vapors incidentally formed are allowed to escape through the permeable disks 42 at the upper end of the barrel, so that the introduction of the liquid charge is not impeded by compression of air or vapor in the barrel by the incoming liquid.

As soon as the barrel has been thus filled, or charged with liquid propellant, to the desired extent, the hose 56 is pulled suddenly off the jet tube to allow the expulsion of the charge through the jet tube, which takes place at high velocity to propel the vehicle aloft at a high rate of speed. Due to the tapered configuration of the fitting 18, the external taper 26 is urged forwardly in wedging engagement with the rear end of the housing by the jetting action of the propellant, thus tending to tighten the fitting or housing.

The parts of the vehicle are preferably formed of relatively thin plastic material so that the entire vehicle is of very light weight, permitting the vehicle to be propelled to a great height by the use of a small charge of propellant which vaporizes rapidly to produce a jetting action.

The invention may also take the form of an aircraft ofa conventional type, such as an airplane, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In this form of the invention, the aircraft is of hollow construction, formed of thin molded plastic having a fuselage 60, wings 62 and a tail structure 64 of usual configuration.

The fuselage is of generally tubular shape having a front end opening 66 and a rear end opening 68 through which the barrel 14' is extended in radially inwardly spaced relation to the surrounding wall ofthe fuselage.

The barrel 14 is of similar construction to the barrel 14 previously described and is similarly secured to the fuselage, as by being extended at its front end through a plug 16' closing the front end opening 66, and being fitted into the rear end opening 68 with the band 24' tightly fitted into the opening.

In this form of the invention, the fitting or plug closing the rear end of the barrel and through which the jet tube 28 is extended need not have the external taper 26 of the fitting 18, but may be merely a straight plug.

The barrel 14 also carries at its forward end a cone shaped cap 46' forming the nose of the fuselage. In other respects, the barrel structure 14' is similar to the barrel 14 and functions in the same manner.

In the operation of the device as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the barrel 14 is loaded with a charge of liquid propellant through the jet tube 28' from the receptacle 58 through the hose 56, the hose being then pulled off the jet tube and the outer end of the jet tube being quickly closed by the finger to prevent the discharge of the propellant while the aircraft is being held in the hand of the user. The aircraft is then launched by the user by throwing or casting it into flight much as one would throw a spear, the jet tube being uncovered when the craft is released to allow the craft to be propelled by the jetting ofthe propellant therethrough.

It will be apparent that due to the well known, highly volatile character of the liquid propellant, of the type commonly known as Freon, of which there are a number of different kinds and grades suitable for use for this purpose, the pressure of the vapor in the pressure receptacle will be maintained substantially constant as long as any of the propellant remains in liquid form in the receptacle, thus providing a sustained pressure for a substantial period oftime. depending upon the amount of liquid with which the receptacle is charged, for supplying the jet with fluid at a pressure for sustained operation of the vehicle.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An airborne toy comprising an elongate and streamlined hollow body; means on the exterior of said body for providing aerodynamic characteristics thereto during flight;

constricted opening means at the rear end of said hollow body for exhausting therefrom a gaseous propellant for urging said body into flight;

relief valve means at the forward end of said body for allowing an outflow of trapped air from said body during the filling of said body with a rapidly vaporizable liquid propellant; and said relief valve means incorporating a permeable member in a flow path therethrough.

2. The structure of claim 1 including a streamlined nose portion on said body formed ofa spongelike material and said permeable member is a fibrous material.

3. The toy ofclaim 2 including a stand;

a vertically extending guide member; and

means carried on said body for slidably and releasably engaging said guide member to direct flight ofsaid toy.

4. The toy of claim 2 further including a constricted passage in said relief valve means. 

1. An airborne toy comprising an elongate and streamlined hollow body; means on the exterior of said body for providing aerodynamic characteristics thereto during flight; constricted opening means at the rear end of said hollow body for exhausting therefrom a gaseous propellant for urging said body into flight; relief valve means at the forward end of said body for allowing an outflow of trapped air from said body during the filling of said body with a rapidly vaporizable liquid propellant; and said relief valve means incorporating a permeable member in a flow path therethrough.
 2. The structure of claim 1 including a streamlined nose portion on said body formed of a spongelike material and said permeable member is a fibrous material.
 3. The toy of claim 2 including a stand; a vertically extending guide member; and means carried on said body for slidably and releasably engaging said guide member to direct flight of said toy.
 4. The toy of claim 2 further including a constricted passage in said relief valve means. 